Mad Men Zinger of the Week: “The Milk and Honey Route”

Slate’s TV Club writers pick their favorite Mad Men lines of the episode.

January Jones as Betty Francis and Christopher Stanley as Henry Francis in Mad Men.

Courtesy of AMC

In any given episode of Mad Men, the only thing more likely to come out of a character’s mouth than the trailing smoke of a Lucky Strike cigarette is a witty one-liner.

As we enter the final days of Sterling Cooper & Partners, Slate’s TV Club will celebrate the show’s retorts and rejoinders by highlighting a Mad Men Zinger of the Week for Slate Plus.

Agree with Julia? Disagree with John? Vote below, and if we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments.

Last week’s most popular Mad Men Zinger of the Week was Hanna’s pick, which was Peggy’s line, “You clearly don’t need help. You need an audience.” Hanna is still currently in the lead. John and Julia are currently tied.

Julia’s pick for Episode 6

Hotel proprietor: “And Sharon said she caught you being handy.”

Julia’s reaction: So many men have suffered Don being handy with their wives in much more nefarious ways. I loved that this line was just about fixing a typewriter.

Hanna’s pick for Episode 6

Pete: “He kept muttering how the man was indiscreet. I looked it up.”

Hanna’s reaction: It’s really hard to imagine Pete as a kid. The vision of him looking up indiscreet in the dictionary, then feeling resentful and confused was priceless.

John’s pick for Episode 6

Henry: “What do you think would happen if Nelson Rockefeller got this?”
Betty: “He would die.”

John’s reaction: For so long Betty was the little princess who refused to grow up. Last night, she was the adult in the room.